Arrival and Dismissal Procedures

Arrival and Dismissal Plan

School Hours for Students are 7:45 a.m. to 1:55 p.m. School Office Hours are 7:15 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. No student should report to school prior to 7:20 a.m. as there is no supervision for his or her safety until after that time. Students/parents should line up on the side of the school at the student/staff entrance doors. Students may enter the building at 7:20 a.m. It is very important for all students to come to school on time every day. Students should be in their seats and ready to learn before or at 7:45 a.m. Parents are encouraged to let children enter the school building independently.

Staff members are stationed at the student entrance doors, bus lane (front of school), and parking lot from 7:20 am - 7:45 am.

Instructions for Car Rider Drop Off:

• Do not form a line in the parking lot aisle before 7:20 am.  Please park on the back row if you arrive early and pull up starting at 7:20 am.
• All car-riding scholars must be dropped off on the side parking lots and enter through the student entrance (no drop-offs on street level - Diana Drive)
• The side parking lot is one way in the morning. (see diagram below)
• All students must use the main sidewalk to access their entrance.
• Students should not walk under the awning/tunnel to enter.
• If exiting the car to walk your scholar to the door, please park in the rear of the lot.
• Please use the far right lane in front of the entrance as kiss and ride.  Scholars should sit on the right side of the car and be prepared to exit the vehicle safely once they reach the drop-off.
• The inner left lane is the thru lane.  Please do not stop or let scholars out of the car from this lane.

Parents should not drop off his or her children before 7:20 a.m. There is no supervision before 7:20 a.m. The front of the school will be blocked off until our school buses have arrived and dropped off students. Afterward, we will open the front lanes for late car riders. Parents should follow the following procedures when dropping off his or her child(ren):

1. Cones will be placed in the bus lane indicating the traffic area in which cars can exit. Staff members will support the drop off traffic pattern indicating where students can exit the car.
2. Students should not exit the vehicle on the street side. All students are asked to exit the vehicle on the school side.
3. Parents should follow the direction of the staff members pulling up to the drop-off area.
4. Parents should wait to be directed to move forward and/or pull out and proceed to exit.
5. There will be no idling and/or parking in the drop-off area.
6. If you need to enter the school with your child(ren), please park in the rear spaces.

Please DO NOT: block the drop-off lane.

Dismissal

The front of the school bus lane will be closed to all traffic in the afternoon between 1:45 p.m. and 2:15 p.m. This procedure is in place for the SAFETY of all children. It is impossible for buses to see and stop for children and cars who exit or walk between parked cars. We appreciate your cooperation.

Please be aware that PG County Parking assists in the enforcement of this procedure.

Afternoon announcements begin at 1:40 p.m. when the dismissal process begins at 1:55 pm.

1. Bus Riders (Pre-K -1st Grade) Bus riders are dismissed to the cafeteria to line up according to his or her bus number). Grades 2-5 are dismissed following.
   1. Transportation coordinators - Ms. Bronson and Ms. Brown - will contact the bus lot if buses are late and supervise students in the cafeteria; a robocall will be made to parents should buses be more than 15 minutes late picking up students, secretaries and administration have daily access to the school’s master list for bus riders.
2. Car Riders/Vans/Walkers (Students who walk home or are picked up by car).
   1. All students are escorted by the teacher to the side entry door to meet the parent/guardian
3. After Care students (early pick-ups report to the gym, regular/late vans pick up with walkers at the side entrance or front of the building)
4. After School Activities will be dismissed with  Car Riders/Vans/Walkers (when applicable).

Students may not return to class for items or materials after dismissal.

Late pick-ups will be supervised in the main office. The teacher/secretary will contact the parent to inform them that their child is waiting in the main office and must come into the building to sign them out once they arrive.

Any student that requires extra support for arrival and dismissal will be assigned a staff member to assist them by Ms. Bronson, Mr. Morns, Mr. Brown, and Ms. Brown.

No child may be picked up by Uber, Lyft, or Taxi.

If a child is to be dismissed to a different location, parents must send a note indicating the date and the change to take place. A child may not visit another child’s home after school or be transported by a person not in your family without prior written parental approval. This rule is for all children’s safety. If a student does not bring a note to school, we will insist that he/she follow the normal dismissal routine. Verbal permission will not be accepted. Once a student has boarded the bus, the student will not be removed from the bus. If you do not wish for your child to ride the bus on a particular day, a note must be received by 1:00 p.m. Reminders to students for dismissal:

• Remember the items and materials which must be taken home, and have them ready. You may not return to the room after dismissal.
• Walk quietly in the hallway during dismissal. Do not run, yell, or cause disruption as you proceed to your dismissal area (bus rider, aftercare, walker).
• Go directly home—You may not remain on school property unless you are involved in a supervised activity.

Early Dismissal

Occasionally, you may have to check your child out of school to go to the doctor or dentist. If you must do this, the child must be signed out of the Main Office before 1:30 p.m. There are to be no early departures between 1:30 p.m. and 1:55 p.m. This is one of the most important times of the day, and classes cannot be interrupted. During the conclusion of the day, teachers are reviewing the work covered, making certain that students understand the homework assignment, and that students get all materials in their book bags. Parents are not to enter classrooms at this time, and under no circumstances are they to leave with a child during this time.

REMEMBER, ALL VISITORS MUST SIGN-IN TO THE MAIN OFFICE. THIS IS FOR THE SAFETY AND PROTECTION OF ALL OF OUR CHILDREN.

Parents are asked to send a note to the child’s teacher. The note will be given to the school office for verification. No verbal authorization to remove a child from the premises will be accepted. Parents must update their emergency contact list annually, or as needed to include all authorized adults who may remove the child from the premises. When arriving to pick up children for early dismissal, parents must report to the main office. Every adult that wishes to pick up a child from school must show a valid, government-issued picture ID. There will be no exceptions. Parents/guardians will sign the child out in the Early Dismissal log stating their first and last name, relationship to the student, time of departure, and reason for early dismissal. The office staff (Ms. Brown or Ms. Stewart) will notify the teacher that you have arrived and your child will meet you in the office. If a child is being picked up by an adult outside the family, that person must be designated on the child’s Family Emergency form, or the parent or guardian send a note to the teacher or office from the parent or guardian on record, and they must show a valid, government-issued picture ID. This precaution is in the interest of maintaining your child’s safety. Unless the office has been notified in writing, no changes will be made to a student’s regular dismissal routine. When possible, if you alter your child’s dismissal routine, please discuss the changes with your child in advance.